Runnin' with the big dogs : the true, unvarnished story of the Texas-Oklahoma football wars

Raucous, raw, and reliably remarkable, the century-old football rivalry between the state universities of Texas and Oklahoma stands as testament that hate-based relationships are the most enduring Each year in October the fans of both schools—the crimson-clad huns from OU and the burnt orange barbarians from UT—invade Dallas for a weekend of high-octane hell-raising and reveling in an athletic contest proving that elephants, tigers, and acrobats are not necessary to stage the greatest show on earth. And the football's not bad, either. Runnin' with the Big Dogs details the outlandish and colorful saga of this ferociously entertaining football confrontation. This is the story of pride, heroics, hopes, dreams, and prodigious four-day hangovers. As acclaimed author Mike Shropshire makes clear, the Longhorns-Sooners confrontation is rougher than playing Russian roulette with a shotgun. Built on the passionate fury of their fans (in this case fully earning the term's origin—"fanatics"), the Texas-Oklahoma spectacle is a production line for national champions, Heisman Trophy winners, NFL All-Pros, and some of the most storied coaches in the history of the sport, from Bud Wilkinson and Darrell Royal to Mack Brown and Bob Stoops. The rivalry has produced some of the most memorable football contests ever, though it matters not whether the teams are ranked—every year is a battle royal. As for the people who come to witness the event, Dallas County's top law enforcement official said, "You watch those lunatics and wonder what drives a person to carry on like a crazy destructive madman." That's why Shropshire is convinced that Texas-OU football fans are the best in the country, and the players and coaches are driven to manic extremes to give them performances to remember. The great players, the great games, and the great stories of the wildest weekends in sports— Runnin' with the Big Dogs captures it all.

Raucous, raw, and reliably remarkable, the century–old football riavlry between the state universities of Texas and Oklahoma stands as testimony that hate–based relationships are the most enduring. Texas and Oklahoma have been top–level programs for a long time, but in the last few years the rivalry has garnered ever more national attention. Mike Shropshire, an observer of this football war for more than 40 years, chronicles the long and colorful history of this fierce rivalry that has endured for more than a century.

The teams have been playing at the Texas State fair since 1929–just a three–hour drive from each campus. This is the only football game in the country that is louder than a NASCAR race, because there's no place in the country that's more football–mad than Texas. Animosity runs deep in this relationship–but beyond the emotional urgency that the Texas–OU followers expend on this event, this is a union of like–minded spirits. They were brought up amid the simple mantra of the Red State road to success: "Get up early. Work hard. Find oil." Football would naturally become the spectator sports of preference in these parts.

RUNNIN' WITH THE BIG DOGS is an account of that game and of the game and the events that lead up to the three–and–one–half hours when, deep in the heart of the heartland, it's the day the earth stands still. It will also chronicle the long and colorful history of this fiercest of football rivalries, and inundate the reader in the craziness of the week preceding the game. Year in, year out, the Texas–OU celebration equals or trumps any other rivalry in sheer excitement and entertainment value–and presently, these two teams more than any other pairing are consistently in the hunt for a national championship. The excitement is due in large part to the raw and dynamic history of the two states involved, from the Indian wars to the oil boom. Before statehood Oklahoma was known as Indian Territory, so this Red River Shootout is Cowboys and Indians all over again.

Raucous, raw, and reliably remarkable, the century–old football riavlry between the state universities of Texas and Oklahoma stands as testimony that hate–based relationships are the most enduring. Texas and Oklahoma have been top–level programs for a long time, but in the last few years the rivalry has garnered ever more national attention. Mike Shropshire, an observer of this football war for more than 40 years, chronicles the long and colorful history of this fierce rivalry that has endured for more than a century. The teams have been playing at the Texas State fair since 1929–just a three–hour drive from each campus. This is the only football game in the country that is louder than a NASCAR race, because there's no place in the country that's more football–mad than Texas. Animosity runs deep in this relationship–but beyond the emotional urgency that the Texas–OU followers expend on this event, this is a union of like–minded spirits. They were brought up amid the simple mantra of the Red State road to success: "Get up early. Work hard. Find oil." Football would naturally become the spectator sports of preference in these parts. RUNNIN' WITH THE BIG DOGS is an account of that game and of the game and the events that lead up to the three–and–one–half hours when, deep in the heart of the heartland, it's the day the earth stands still. It will also chronicle the long and colorful history of this fiercest of football rivalries, and inundate the reader in the craziness of the week preceding the game. Year in, year out, the Texas–OU celebration equals or trumps any other rivalry in sheer excitement and entertainment value–and presently, these two teams more than any other pairing are consistently in the hunt for a national championship. The excitement is due in large part to the raw and dynamic history of the two states involved, from the Indian wars to the oil boom. Before statehood Oklahoma was known as Indian Territory, so this Red River Shootout is Cowboys and Indians all over again. The vivid historical rage and modern day bloodlust of one of the most enduring rivalries in all of American sportsthe University of Texas Longhorns versus the Oklahoma Sooners. Runnin with the Big Dogs is the ultimate story of one of Americas premiere football matchups, the Longhorns vs. the Sooners, meeting up on the gridiron for their annual pigskin paloozaa deafening, sometimes heartstopping, always memorable event infused with alcohol, animosity, loyalty, and pride. Mike Shrophsire, an observer of this football war for more than 40 years, chronicles the long and colorful history of this fierce rivalry that has endured for more than a century. He introduces a larger-than-life cast of coaches, players, fans, and politicians on both ends of I35, and explores the rivalrys effect on the nations popular consciousness. Shropshire chronicles the long and colorful history of the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns' fierce rivalry, and introduces a larger-than-life cast of coaches, players, fans, politicians, and others on both ends of I-35, while exploring the rivalry's effect on the nation's popular consciousness Traces the historical rivalry between the University of Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners, discussing their annual competition at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas and how it has been conducted for more than forty years.